


A reminder for the shipping community

by Potato_Cat



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-06-13 22:20:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15374610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Potato_Cat/pseuds/Potato_Cat
Summary: Just needed to let this out before I kept on writing, cause I've seen too much drama every time a new season comes out or something is said about the characters.





	A reminder for the shipping community

**Author's Note:**

> With the recent news about Shiro having been in a relationship with a man back on Earth, I was Very freaking happy. Sadly, aside from the overwhelming sense of happiness this brought me, it also came with a bitter aftertaste when I saw all the shippers, mainly Klance and Shieth ones, as well as antis, commenting and posting things that just... Agh, this is a quick reminder to the shipping community that we can all just like the pairs we like Without starting drama. Fortunately, I still haven't seen that usual huge tidal wave of hate flooding mine, or anyone else's social media yet, and I'm hoping it doesn't get as bad as it has before. Either way, I wanted to say something just in case. 
> 
> I'm sorry this is going to be very poorly written as I haven't slept in a while, and just stopped writing something else.

To the shipping community of the Voltron fandom,

We just got some amazing news and I know we're all freaking out about it. Who would've thought? A gay, or at least bisexual, character, who's plot is more than his sexuality and isn't just a stereotype? Sounds too good to be true. But it isn't! It's happening! And we should be celebrating the show, the characters, and the people behind it making it all happen. You have no idea how big this is to me, and to others, how important and amazing this really is. This show is now not only representing my Hispanic brothers and sisters with Lance (who probably comes from a mixed family, much like my own, as well), but also something I've had trouble coming to terms with and being proud of; my own sexuality. Even the characters I don't personally like stand for something, and that's just not something you get to see in other shows, animated or not. Again, we're all excited to have a canonically gay or possibly bisexual character. Now we can actually have a bit more of realism (or well, as realistic as it can be with animated characters) in our portrayal of Shiro in our fics and art.

Between him, the other characters of Voltron, and other shows that are representing these groups of people, we are finally seeing a change, albeit a slow and small one, but it's still happening. 

I also know that a lot of people are gonna be disappointed. Of course we can all hope that a pairing will become canon, and I know a lot of shippers will see this as the moment when their Own favorite pair can finally get together.

**Newsflash!**

That... probably **_won't_** happen. And that sucks, I know. We all have our reasons for liking the ships we do, and we all want to show it, but, like in every other fandom, things can get a little out of control. Especially in this fandom. We've seen it happen time and time again, with every season that comes out. Shippers starting drama, people that Hate certain ships for X or Y reason attacking writers and artists for their work. It _Always_ happens.

And I just wanted to remind everyone that your opinion, as true and important as it may be, doesn't need to be rubbed on anyone's face.

"You mean I can disagree, like or dislike something without attacking, harassing or bullying others until they're forced into agreeing with me, or have to delete their pages?"

 _Yes!_ And it's very simple, too! _Just don't be a dick._

Nobody is forcing you to like their ship, art or stories. If you made the decision to actively look for artists and writers that make things you Don't like, _just_ to bash them, you're a bully with very little self esteem and too much time on their hands. It was gross to see people already starting shipping drama on Josh's twitter post on the matter, when everyone else was just happy to _finally_ have this.

As a kid I didn't get to see any shows with people of different cultures, or someone that was part of the LGBTQ+ that wasn't just a trope for comedic effect, for highlighting the protagonists, or that wasn't the villain. Do you have any idea how disgusting it is to see people already ruining this for others because they don't know how some basic decency works? There doesn't have to be drama, you don't Have to post hate comments on people's work, and you certainly don't have to like the same pairings or type of art/stories I do. Respect is something we're all lacking a bit off, and this fandom would benefit itself on learning some of it.

This isn't just with the Voltron fandom, this goes to every other one out there. You can like or dislike whichever ship you want, without bashing anyone. 

If you actually managed to read all of this and somehow agree with me, and think that people should be allowed to ship in peace, and keeps getting harassed and bullied by antis because of your art, stories, kinks, or whatever else these people have managed to latch onto to make themselves feel better... I am very sorry. I know this isn't gonna change anything, people are still gonna make it tough for you, but you're not alone, there's people in the fandom that stand with you, and who will keep appreciating your work. Ignore those jerks and remember the good ones. Celebrate instead that we keep getting such amazing characters, and plots, and that there's so many talented people out there.

To the person that reads this and finds that they don't agree with me, that has been posting negative things about this for whatever reason; I wish I could be more eloquent, that I had more words to explain to you why they way you're acting is so toxic and how disgusting your attitude is, and how awful you make the fandom look to everyone outside of it. Your hatefulness doesn't just hurt the person you're attacking, it hurts the show as a whole. I came for the show, and stayed for the all the amazing people in the fandom. I'm not asking you to like the ships I like, or to like every piece of fanart or every fanfic out there, just to respect the people who made them, and to think twice before harassing someone. When you do that, it doesn't make you the bigger person, it makes you an asshole.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm very afraid of posting this publicly, because as much as I like gossip and standing up to righteous assholes, I don't want to deal with the aftermath. Pero eso es lo que me pasa por ser boricua so whatever.


End file.
